Lesson 14: Worship 157
6:5. The temple was not the only thing shaken in Isaiah’s vision. Isaiah
himself was stunned and undone. He could but cry “Woe is me!” In
the presence of God’s holiness, the prophet and people’s sinfulness was
all the more acute. Because he had seen “the King, the Lord of hosts,”
he could better see sin, both his and theirs. He realized afresh that the
whole lot of them had unclean lips. Although they had given God lip
service, “their hearts were far from [him] and their worship of [God was
a mere] human commandment learned by rote” (Isaiah 29:14). Isaiah’s
life-threatening, revelatory encounter with holy God (“no one shall see
[God] and live” [Exodus 33:20]) would prove to be a life-altering event.
Isaiah’s Commission (Isaiah 6:6–8)
- 6 – 7. Isaiah’s commission is subsequent to his vision of God and con-
fession of sin. In recounting the vision that both undid and remade him,
Isaiah recalls that one of the six-winged seraphs approached him with
a live coal that the seraph had taken from the altar with a pair of tongs.
The angelic being touched Isaiah’s lips with the white-hot coal and
declared, “‘Now that this has touched your lips, your guilt has departed
and your sin is blotted out.’”
6:8. The Judean prophet proceeds to report that after his lips (and life)
had been cleansed from separating-sin and soul-destroying guilt, he
heard the Lord’s voice. Isaiah heard God asking, “Whom shall I send,
and who will go for us?” (Scholars sometimes describe the “us” in this
verse as a “plural of majesty.”) As with Samuel of old (cf. 1 Samuel 3),
Isaiah responded, “Here am I.” Furthermore, Isaiah exclaimed, “Send
me!” It is as unfortunate as it is ironic that even though Isaiah repented
of sin and turned toward worshipping and serving God, Israel would not
(Isa. 6:9–13). There are none so blind as they who will not see.
The Throne of God (Revelation 4:1–6a)
4:1–2. After recounting his vision of Christ (Rev. 1:9–20) and recording
Christ’s messages to the seven churches (Rev. 2—3), John presents his
vision of an open door in heaven and the exalted Christ’s invitation for
him to ascend so that he might receive additional revelatory instruction.
Immediately, John indicates, he was swept up into heaven where he saw a